They both campaigned with President Obama to help him secure a second term. Now both First Lady Michelle Obama and former President Bill Clinton have landed Grammy nominations. Both are up in the Best Spoken Word Album category for the audio version of their books American Grown (Obama) and Back To Work: Why We Need Smart Government For A Strong Economy (Clinton). Clinton won the category in 2005 for his autobiography My Life, while Obama’s husband has topped it twice — for Dreams From My Father and The Audacity Of Hope. Obama and Clinton are facing two top TV personalities in the Best Spoken Word Album field — Ellen DeGeneres (Seriously… I’m Kidding) and Rachel Maddow (Drift: The Unmooring Of American Military Power). Television’s presence on the Grammy nominations list announced tonight extends to the Best Song Written For Visual Media category, which features the tune “Let Me Be Your Star” from the pilot for NBC’s Smash, along with four songs from movies, including the Oscar-winning “Man Or Muppet” From The Muppets. (Nashville producer T Bone Burnett, who is behind the music on the freshman ABC drama, scored 2 noms for songs from The Hunger Games). The score soundtrack field includes Oscar winner The Artist.

Among the singing competition series, NBC’sThe Voice was once again the top dog, with two of its coaches, Adam Levine from Maroon 5 (2) and Blake Shelton (1) getting noms. (Last year, all four coaches were nominated). For a second consecutive year, the music stars of Fox’s American Idol and The X Factor were shut out. There was a tie at the top of the list of nominees with six artists scoring six noms, including Fun. The indie pop band which owes a lot of its success to Fox’s Glee, which helped make their single “We Are Young” a hit.

80 Comments

David Boze • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

What?!? Left-wing politicians up for the spoken word Grammy?!? I am shocked, SHOCKED! Okay, I am not shocked. This is utterly predictable and is a recurring bias. It should be embarrassing at some point. Yes, I’m conservative-and I recognize some good voice work has been done by liberal politicians (and future liberal politicians–Obama did fine voice work on “Dreams from my Father”), but is there EVER a conservative or a conservative work nominated? It’s the one area of entertainment in which you could argue that conservatives should have an advantage (due to talk radio pros). If I am missing some nods, let me know. If not, time for Grammy folks to start focusing on the work and less on their politics.

Susan Ray • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

Yes, the world loves this socialist and pervert (sexual predator).

Anonymous • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

What as joke……lol lol
Will be sure NOT to watch this program!

Judy • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

As a “voting” member of NARAS, I stopped voting long ago. The organization has become so out of touch with all but the very young, so-called hip, and liberal generation that Grammy doesn’t retain the prestige of bygone days and in my opinion, is no longer importantly relevant.

Ric • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

This is why it’s important to try and recruit younger members which NARAS is actively trying to do, at least in my local Chapter. I am one of those younger voting members who is always on the look out for some of the newer younger blood to come in and have a role. Not being active at all to work towards that goal of change gives you no reason to complain if you are not going to at least try to make a difference in changing it at all, no offense. You should get back involved and find some newer younger members to be involved.

billindallas • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

I saw most of the Grammy program from Nashville last night. Without a doubt, the worst broadcast mix in 30 years. It was BEYOND what used to be called an “AM Mix” – all vocals, very dry, and little else. Crowd mics? Never heard them.

The crew in LA (Ms. Jones, et al) do a great job each winter, by the way.

Haha..you’re not going to watch because they were nominated for a spoken word award. Hahaha..what a joke. Get some thicker skin, so you don’t always need to take your ball and go home…ridiculous.

John • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

Why in the world would ANYONE watch these Hollyweed morons slap each other on the back in these self aggrandizing stupid programs
that cost nothing to create. Yet America keeps on watching this scheisse, just like they watch Dancing with the MOrons and American Idiot.

barb • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

That’s how I feel

Donnie • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

What took you so long?

Jeigh • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

They have to give those statues to someone. Each year, they go to the best of the worst for that year. They mean nothing and only the dimwitted in Hollyweird care!

Norman56 • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

The Grammy’s and the entertainment industry have been so devoid of real talent for so long, they have focused on politics, which given their massive ignorance on that topic and history, is nothing short of laughable, bordering on dangerously stupid.

Molly • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

Ha HA HA This lets you know how insignificant these awards are. Thought it was for actors. Oh, I forgot these are actors, they sure aren’t anything more.
Shame on you. NOW I KNOW WHY I DO NOT WATCH SUCH SHOWS.

RS • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

I wonder how many of the nominees can actually read music or play an instrument? Music business today is more about massive egos and personality cults than music.

Chris • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

The easiest way to rid the world of this nonsense is for every one to stop watching it.

Denis • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

Because the world is a sad loss without the spoken word of GWB “I think that you misunderestimated me” – and such a shame that GWB wasnt nominated; obviously political bias.

SHERRY CLARK • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

After all they are 2 of the best actors in the world

Jason • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

If you’re only talking about the judges of “American Idol”, yes they were shut out. However, the winners grabbed nominations. Kelly Clarkson is up for 3 including Record of the Year while Carrie Underwood grabbed a nomination for Country Solo. (In the past, 10 different “Idol” vets have been nominated for Grammys while 4 have won~ Kelly, Carrie, Jennifer Hudson and Fantasia)…. On a side note, no artist from “The Voice” or “The X Factor” has ever had a hit or been nominated for any major award, let alone a Grammy.

Judy • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

THE VOICE is still new and give it time. There are bound to be nominations as they have some of the most fabulously talented singers I’ve ever seen or heard. Their ratings are also topping the other similar shows. X Factor is also fairly new but some of their talent is also pretty awesome. I doubt the general public care much about Grammys, they seem to be voting with ITunes, YouTube and concert attendance. I’ve never liked “Idol” for it’s meanness – especially in how the early shows present many poor, not-so-talented singers just so they can tear them down. At least the other shows try to give us really good talent from the start. Some of the critiquing still goes too far in the nasty direction, but overall, not nearly as demeaning as “Idol.”

jeffery • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

Highest grossing concert tour of 2012 (and perhaps ever). One of her best (artistically speaking) albums in years. No one will play her on the radio because she’s 54 years old. No one will nominate her because she’s not a slave to the industry. So f*ck you, Grammy folks. Your loss. You’re the ones who are old and irrelevant. When she’s dead, you’re all gonna be salivating over her revolutionary legacy in a way that will make Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston look like dead backup singers.

Judy • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

Interesting comment about the “highest grossing artist…” who is “54 years old…” but wish her name had been mentioned so I’d know who you’re talking about.

Peggy • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

LOL! I thought maybe it was just me!

Mikey • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

Starts with an M and ends with a Donna.

David • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

He is talking about Madonna you fool.

PPG • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

I believe it’s Madonna, Madonna, Madonna.

billindallas • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

If Madonna could find her way onto the stage on time maybe more people would have paid attention. She may have made a boatload of money on the last tour, but, she burned a lot of bridges in the process.

But, to be fair, I have not heard her MDNA album, so my comment is strictly coming from the “live side” of the equation.

jane • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

They could at least have one token non-political leftist for show on Spoken Word.

Smiler_Grogan • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

Why would anyone nominate a book that said Willard Romney was going to win the presidency? This is the Grammys, not Fox News.

Chas • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

It is not an important award anyway. It is more Grimy than Grammy.

The left owns Hollywood, ergo, the left gets the Grimy’s.

SamIam • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

Why should the Grammy be any different from the Nobel Peace Prize or Time person of the year awards?

The Left seems to always “march through the institutions” and take over. But any semi-discerning person notices it and the relevance of these awards has declined correspondingly.

John Steciw • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

I was a voting member of NARAS for over 20 years but a few years ago I quit. It’s BS like this that made me leave and not look back. This watered down award is trivial at best now because they keep expanding the number of catagories to include nonsense like this. They now support more left leaning causes than you can imagine while cutting back money on music programs in schools, etc.

John

Tom • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

This is the State of the Art.

lLynn • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

You are so right State of the Arts. What a joke.

Paolo • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

The Grammy is a joke just like the Nobel Prize.

triton2106 • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

Another event has now gone 100% “kiss ass” to politicians. I’m sooooo glad I turned you off years ago.

Smiler_Grogan • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

…and yet, you care enough to post about it here…

Michael • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

So now readers for “books on tape” can get a grammy?
“Wow! You can read out loud! You should get a grammy for that!”

Chris • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

Wow, you can sing out loud and use your vocal cords, well done, here’s a grammy.

iodiner • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

Wow, you’re wearing a $2000 dress? Here’s an award!

Ricker • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

“What you punish, you get less of, what you reward, you get more of.”

Jes sayin’

Hussein • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

Current Pop Culture is so last decade…

Gary • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

Give me the strength to survive this low point in American History. Rap is now taking on a nostalgic glow.

Bob Smith • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

And to think, when rap was hitting the scene, as much as I hated disco, it seemed great by comparison.

BlogMagog • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

I remember Michelle O’s spoken words at the 9/11 ceremony….
” All this for a damn flag ” Yeah, she is quite poetic and patriotic all in one short sentence… We love you so much Moochelle… GOD bless you for being such a role model with your grace and diction.

Joe • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

I did notice Rush was overlooked. I guess you have to march in Step

jayson breighton • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha …all I can do is laugh. Do they look at themselves in the mirror and think how wonderful they are? It’s so pathetic it’s laughable.

RationalSceptic • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

Yeah, I bet this is being given for “artistic” talent. Just like the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded a few years ago… And they wonder why
people dislike Hollywood & its coterie of fawning sycophants.

Dave • on Dec 5, 2012 10:17 pm

I am stsarting to feel like I’m in North Korea! What’s next? An announcement that Obama got a hole-in-one on all 18 holes the first time he went golfing?